Australian Yew English Longbow

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hunterguy1991
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Location: Woodford Queensland

Australian Yew English Longbow

#1 Post by hunterguy1991 » Sat Dec 17, 2016 10:21 am

Morning all,

Well i did have a big story about this bow and how it came to be but the computer decided to wipe it all... so i'll just show off the bow and say a MASSIVE thanks to Neil, cannot thank you enough for the opportunity to make and own this awesome stick and string!

Bow is 70" ntn and pulls around 60# @ 28" (dont actually know because its never been on a tiller stand!) with black buffalo horn side nocks.
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Those colours!!
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Plenty of character back and belly
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Braced

Looks like its out of tiller but the stave had some natural deflex in the top limb (left) right above the handle and in the bottom limb out towards the tip so it looks like it has alot of set... in fact it comes back pretty much all the way back to what it was before it was tillered so its still quite snappy to shoot.

I will get a full draw shot up soon for you all to scrutinise but i think its spot on.

Colin

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perry
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Location: morayfield qld australia

Re: Australian Yew English Longbow

#2 Post by perry » Sat Dec 17, 2016 1:22 pm

Look forward to seeing this Bow close up Colin. At 70" long how far do you draw it ?

regards Perry
"To my deep morticication my father once said to me, 'You care for nothing but shooting, dogs and rat catching, and you will be a disgrace to yourself and all your family.' "

- Charles Darwin

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greybeard
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Re: Australian Yew English Longbow

#3 Post by greybeard » Sat Dec 17, 2016 1:47 pm

Hi Colin, well done.

I would not worry too much about getting a symmetrical tiller from a split bush billet. Milled boards are a different story and easier to control.

As long as the limb timing is correct you should not have too many problems.

Daryl.
"And you must not stick for a groat or twelvepence more than another man would give, if it be a good bow.
For a good bow twice paid for, is better than an ill bow once broken.
[Ascham]

“If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?” [Einstein]

I am old enough to make my own decisions....Just not young enough to remember what I decided!....

hunterguy1991
Posts: 859
Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2012 10:18 am
Location: Woodford Queensland

Re: Australian Yew English Longbow

#4 Post by hunterguy1991 » Sat Dec 17, 2016 10:49 pm

Evening Perry,

It has no trouble getting out to a 28" draw (mines 27.5)

will have to bring it round for you to have a look at when I'm back up that way over Xmas.

Daryl, yep I agree, with all the bumps and bends in it it was always going to be tricky but in the hand it loads up even and draws to a nice curve.

Colin

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perry
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Re: Australian Yew English Longbow

#5 Post by perry » Sun Dec 18, 2016 6:59 am

That's a very good point re Bush Staves Daryl. I have a somewhat twisted and bendy 75" Brigalow Bow that when you look at it at Full Draw and apply a critical eye to the Tiller at Full Draw many say the bottom Limb looked as if is not Tillered correctly. Just like your Bow here Colin so long as the Bow is evenly Tillered to a point so that the Bow does not Rock backwards indicating a stiff Bottom Limb or Forwards indicating a stiff Top Limb and therefor has Hand Shock which can be an indicator of poor Limb Timing this is the best you can do will many Gnarly Staves.

It's a "quirk of mine"with Bush Staves that sometimes White Fella's get too caught up with the Aesthetics and smooth Lines in a Bow and set about steaming out Bends, inconvenient crooks and twists. Same deal with their Lawn's, every thing has to be trimmed and polished so it follows either a smooth Curve or straight Line. Mother Nature just does not grow too much Timber like that.

It would be good to catch again Colin, let me know when your about and hopefully we can organise a show and tell

regards Perry
"To my deep morticication my father once said to me, 'You care for nothing but shooting, dogs and rat catching, and you will be a disgrace to yourself and all your family.' "

- Charles Darwin

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yeoman
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Re: Australian Yew English Longbow

#6 Post by yeoman » Mon Dec 19, 2016 8:30 pm

It looks great! Is that from a billet he brought at a similar time last year or thereabouts?

If it is, I have a sister stave in my workshop waiting to be turned into something amazing. Or kindling.
https://www.instagram.com/armworks_australia/

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hunterguy1991
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Re: Australian Yew English Longbow

#7 Post by hunterguy1991 » Tue Dec 20, 2016 5:49 am

Yea its the sister stave to the one you have Dave.

look forward to seeing what you come up with.

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Gringa Bows
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Re: Australian Yew English Longbow

#8 Post by Gringa Bows » Tue Dec 20, 2016 8:02 am

Looking good mate

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yeoman
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Re: Australian Yew English Longbow

#9 Post by yeoman » Tue Dec 20, 2016 8:16 pm

This is the conversation that's been had in my workshop on more than a few occasions while looking at my Yew stave:

"What's that?"
"It's Yew."
"Really?"
"Yep, my first ever bit of Yew."
"What kind of bow are you going to make?"
"Oh, I don't know if I'll ever get around to making anything with it, it's too precious to actually use."

I'll have to bite the bullet at some point. Especially after seeing how nice this one has turned out.
https://www.instagram.com/armworks_australia/

Bow making courses, knife making courses, armour making courses and more:
http://www.tharwavalleyforge.com/

Articles to start making bows:
http://www.tharwavalleyforge.com/index. ... /tutorials

hunterguy1991
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Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2012 10:18 am
Location: Woodford Queensland

Re: Australian Yew English Longbow

#10 Post by hunterguy1991 » Wed Dec 21, 2016 10:17 am

Haha yea i had a similar convo a few times myself...

for me there was only one option for what to make from it tho, it HAD to be and Elb.

ive shot mine several times since finishing it and i love it. Looking forward to hunting with it eventually as well.

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Nezwin
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Re: Australian Yew English Longbow

#11 Post by Nezwin » Sun Dec 25, 2016 8:55 am

hunterguy1991 wrote: a MASSIVE thanks to Neil, cannot thank you enough for the opportunity to make and own this awesome stick and string!
You're very welcome :biggrin: I'm just pleased to see the timber done justice. And you've certainly achieved that - a great job! The way that grain slides across the belly... Beautiful.

If I ever get the time to make bows again I'll be going AFB with one stave (flipped tips, the whole nine yards) and, once I've finished the Ash ELB I've started (stave courtesy of Colin), an ELB with the other. It's gotta be done.

For those with an interest, here's the original log -

http://www.ozbow.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.p ... &hilit=Yew

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rodlonq
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Re: Australian Yew English Longbow

#12 Post by rodlonq » Wed Jan 11, 2017 6:50 pm

Great looking ELB Colin, the yew has fantastic colour, very nice indeed.

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